It Means We're Happy
by winterhats
Summary: New things are fun! Implied HaruTaka & ShinAya, post STR, one-shot.


_I am alive. I'm sorry, I always try to publish at least one thing per month, but I barely had time. This is so, so stupid, I'm just giving up because I definitely want to upload something, it's not even HaruTaka-centric ;_; It's an old fanfic, haha, not Halloween related, I'm afraid._

 _Coughs, KagePro belongs to Jin!_

* * *

It's comfy, and warm. Mama's arms are always like that, he likes so much to be held by her. He always feels safe and comfortable, all cozy and wrapped with her affection. But today it felt kind of different, because even if those were Mama's arms, she was running and slamming doors behind her. Konoha was sleepy and he couldn't understand well, and Papa, Mama and Ene were talking too fast. He hates when they do that! Can't they get that he doesn't understand them when they talk too fast?

They were in the car now! Were they going on an adventure? He loves going to the park! Or maybe they're going to auntie 'Yano and uncle Shishin's house, he also loves to visit them! He's curious now, maybe he should just ask.

But oh, no. He's sitting on the safety chair, and he hates it. It prevents him from squirming but he much prefers to be on Mama's arms, and she's far from him and he can't tug on her clothes to draw her attention.

"Mama," he called her, moving back and forth his feet. Konoha tried to look at her, but nope, she's nowhere to be seen, but he knew she was in the seats of the front. "Mama…"

"Mom's driving, Konoha," Papa replied instead of Mama, and Konoha frowns. He was talking to Mama, silly Papa, stop butting in! He's especially mad at Papa today; earlier, he was taking away his toys! He was putting them inside a bag, Papa has his own things, why did he have to take _his_ toys?

"Mama," he decided that he wouldn't listen to him, and ignoring his own Papa, he called Mama again. His face lighted up when he heard her sigh, Mama was listening!

"What is it, Konoha?"

Now it's the hard part. How could he ask? He can't get the words out, he hadn't learnt them, has he? If he had, he doesn't remember…

So, only a welter of sounds was what Konoha could get to get out of his mouth, and now big sis Ene is laughing. He loves to make big sis laugh, but now it felt a little frustrating, it felt like he was laughing _at_ him!

But Mama always understands, she's so smart! She always knows what's upsetting him, even if he had only made weird sounds as a complaint. But Mama now just quickly shot him a smile, a Mama warm smile, the best smile of all! Mama always calms him down, she's the best! So it works, and he decides to keep quiet. That's what Mama would want, isn't it? Because she must be busy if she isn't holding him…

Everyone's quiet, and sometimes he could hear big sis Ene sneeze. Papa told him that his big sis is a little sick, because it was getting really cold! So she was especially wrapped up into warm clothes, they look so comfy! Just like Mama's arms. He really misses Mama's arms.

Now Mama and Papa are talking, but they're talking really fast so he can't really understand. Wow, hey, Mama said his name and big sis'! Ah, are they taking them somewhere? Wait, are they talking about _leaving_ them somewhere…?

Wait, that can't be! He struggles so, so much everyday to be a good boy for Mama and Papa, so they'll love him and smile at him, telling him he's such a good boy! Because they always say that! And he loves that, so he laughs, because he's happy, and Mama and Papa also laugh because they love that he's happy! So everyone's happy, and that's what's important, but why? Did he do something wrong? Did Mama and Papa stop loving him because he did something wrong…!?

"Moooom, Konoha's being a crybaby agaaain," he heard big sis Ene complaining, kicking Mama's seat. Uh, that's a bad big sis Ene! Mama hates when she does that, she'll scold her!

"Stop kicking the seat," Mama said, when the car stopped. Konoha looked outside the window, he liked doing that. Big sis did as she was told, because Mama's scary when she uses that voice. Mama and Papa's doors open at the same time, and Konoha smiles when he sees Papa opening the door next to him. Yes, he's getting out of the car! He'd prefer Mama to pick him up, but Papa's okay too.

He hugged Papa closer, and it was okay, because Papa was hugging him back. That means he still loves him, right? So Mama must love him too– hey, why does big sis Ene get to hold Mama's hand? Hey, that's not fair, why did Mama pick to hold big sis Ene's hand instead of picking him up!? Did Mama prefer big sis Ene instead of him?

He whimpered a little, but Papa started shushing him. That's also not fair, Papa knows that works, he wants to complain, but ah, he's feeling sleepy in Papa's arms…

He saw on Papa's shoulder the same bag he used to put in his toys, and Konoha came to realize that probably, Papa was only putting them in there for him to play somewhere else, he wasn't stealing. That makes more sense, maybe he should apologize.

"'M sorry."

"Huh? Why are you sorry for, Konoha?"

"Toys… my toys…"

"What about your toys?"

 _Ugh_ , Papa's so slow! He knows he can't really say much! He wants Mama, now, right now, she'd understand! Mama's much smarter than Papa, silly Papa. Silly!

"Takane, Konoha's trying to say something," there we go, Papa! That was a _smart_ move!

"What's he saying?"

"Toys."

"I'd need more information than just that."

"That's all he said. He said 'I'm sorry. Toys.'"

"Haruka, pay attention to him, alright?"

"I am paying attention!"

Mama always scolds Papa when he's saying something she doesn't like, Konoha gets that, but he felt a little guilty over this. Oh, well, Mama never stays mad at him for too long, anyway!

"Mama," he called Mama because Papa was being frustrating, and this time, finally, she looked at him. And she smiled, which made Konoha smile, as he was making grabby hands at her, and yes! Mama's now holding him, yay! He hugged her, wrapping his short arms around her neck, as Mama walked who-knows-where.

He heard big sis sneeze again, and Papa knelt down to blow her nose with a tissue, but big sis tried to refuse. And as they're at it, Mama lets go of Konoha with one of her hands to press a button on the wall. His parents explained to him once, that the buttons on the walls are called _bells_ and they're for letting know the person who owns the house with the 'bell' that someone is outside. Mama and Papa always press the button on the wall of auntie 'Yano and uncle Shishin's house, but this didn't look like their house…

When he looked back at big sis and Papa, she was tugging his clothes. Maybe she wanted him to pick her up, because that's what he did and now big sis was smiling. But Mama sometimes says that big sis should stop being so clingy because she's already a big girl. Whilst he, Konoha, is still a growing boy, that's why Mama always picks him up! He needs lots of love to be as big as his sister someday! …And also eat veggies, but he won't do that, ever. Yikes.

Big sis sneezed again when the door opened, and an old man came out. His hair was like Papa's, it was grey. But he looked really different! His face was wrinkled and he had ugly glasses. Papa sometimes has glasses too, but they're not as ugly…

"Haruka, Takane?" the man let out a loud laugh, and Konoha tightened the hold on Mama. "What are you guys doing here, with the children?"

Mama let out an exasperated sigh, something she does when Papa's saying something dumb. Which happens very often, actually. "Ayano-chan's into labour."

"Ah, right! Shintaro texted me, but neither of them wanted me there," he said, a little more serious now. "They said they didn't want a lot of people there… my own grandchild, and I can't go to the hospital, geez."

"Yeah, but they do want _us_ there."

"Which is completely not fair. I'm her father!"

"Sensei, please shut up and listen."

"You should really stop calling me sensei, Takane."

Mama sighed again, and Konoha was starting to feel a little annoyed as well. They were talking too fast and he couldn't understand a thing, but it seemed like that man was annoying Mama, how dare he!

" _Listen_ , we don't want to have the kids around the hospital during _hours_ , so…"

"But I want to go!" big sis interrupted Mama as she was talking. "Konoha wants to too, right Konoha?"

Ah! She's talking to him! Finally, he was feeling a little ignored. He could understand that big sis wanted to go somewhere with him, so he nodded, because he'd go anywhere with big sis Ene, she's the best big sis!

"Can you look after the kids for a few hours?"

Wait, what? What does that mean? …Mhm, no he couldn't get what Mama was talking about to the stranger. So he looked up to see Mama's face, and he smiled because Mama's the prettiest of all!  
But his face widened in horror when Mama's face starts to seem distant and, huh? What's she doing…? Wait! She's leaving! Wait! These aren't Mama's arms!

His neck is in a weird angle but he can see the stubbly chin of the stranger, the stranger who was _holding_ him, and he didn't like it at all. Mama kissed his forehead and also bis sis', and Papa did the same.

"Bye, mom, dad!"

"Bye, be good kids, alright?"

"We will!"

Why was Mama leaving him!? Mama's _never_ left him! And Papa's leaving with her! So they _were_ abandoning him…!? Oh no! Was it because big sis was kicking Mama's seat, wasn't it? And they got mad at him as well for crying in the car. Oh no, he's such a bad boy, he…

"Ahh, what is it, why are you crying?" the old man asked him, rocking him back and forth. Ugh, only Mama and Papa can do that! Who does he think he is!? And he wasn't even doing it right! So Konoha cried louder, calling for Mama, but Mama was already inside the car and he was already inside the house. "You miss your mom?"

"He misses mom," big sis Ene affirms, giggling. "He's a crybaby, good luck trying to get him to like you!"

"Ah, I see," the stranger looked at him, and his face is so close that Konoha could only bring himself to let out another cry. "Don't worry, kiddo. You mom's gonna be back."

–Oh, really? …Wait, how can he know he's saying the truth…?  
Konoha looked down, at Ene, because big sis wouldn't lie to him… well, she sometimes does. She even makes him cry as well! No, thinking about it better he can't exactly believe everything she says, but he does anyway because he loves big sis so much!

"The old man is right, Konoha! Mom and dad will be back!" she assured with a smile, so Konoha struggled to smile as well. It still was odd; when Papa is busy, they leave him and Ene at auntie 'Yano's care, but Mama never leaves with him…

Auntie 'Yano's so nice! She always gives him and Ene candy and she tells them lots of cool stories! When he's a grown boy, he wants to be a hero, just like auntie 'Yano. She also has a swollen tummy now! Papa told him that was because she had a baby there, and that'd be his and big sis' cousin! Konoha doesn't really get why the baby's inside auntie 'Yano's tummy, but he can't wait to meet his cousin! They'll play a lot when they get there, right?

"Well, he's smiling now," the man without name said, and Konoha frowned again. Why is he still holding him! This is horrible! He's doing it so badly, so he flew his arms out, shaking them in the air, whimpering a little.

"Ene, Ene, Ene– big sis Ene," he called his sister because she's the only person around he trusts. When were Mama and Papa coming back…? Even uncle Shishin'd be a good choice! He never holds him, though, he's so mean…

The stranger _finally_ put him down, and Konoha crawled until he could tug big sis' clothes. She tried to pick him up, but she wasn't really big, and Konoha, lately, is been getting bigger! Mama told him he's close to becoming a big boy, so when Ene tried to pick him up, it only looked like she was hugging him. He was relieved to be with his sister again.

He looked around, trying to see if his parents were finally back… they weren't.

"So," the stranger started, and Konoha hugged big sis closer to him. "How old are you two?"

"I'm turning seven next month!"

"Oh, that's right, I remember!"

Konoha suddenly felt happy. He knows the answer to this question! Papa had taught him to answer it! And Papa looked so, so happy once he could bring himself to do what he wanted him to. When he showed it to Mama, she was happy as well. He made his parents very happy, all on his own! So when the old man asked it, Konoha held up two of his fingers, shaking them around and smiling. Even if he didn't like the stranger, he wanted him to know how smart he is!

"Ah, hey! You're two years old, then?" he said, smiling and wrinkling his face even more in the process. "What a smart little kid you are."

Of course he's smart! Mama and Papa say that all the time!

Ah… he wondered when they were coming back…

* * *

How long had passed already? Two, three hours? Looking at his watch, Kenjirou sighed, because it's only been half an hour since Haruka and Takane left. It was frustrating, because he hadn't been able to do anything to even talk to the kids, they just were there, sitting across him on the couch.

And it was a little scary how much they looked like each other, without being twins. Their appearence was more Haruka than Takane, but that probably was because _both_ of them had the same birthmark that Haruka has, under the same eye as him.

Ene was coloring a frog from her coloring book and Konoha was hugging his giraffe plushie, but… they were saying _nothing_. Plus, the small boy was looking at him not very gently, looking at the door every so often, so he was obviously waiting for his parents to come back soon.

Although he wanted to be liked by them, because if he wasn't, they'd go a tell Haruka and Takane and that would be horrible. Since their insecure looks before leaving wasn't making Kenjirou think that he was the first option as a babysitter.

It wasn't like he didn't know them… but at the same time, it was. This was the first time he had ever stayed alone with them. There are always Haruka and Takane, or Ayano and Shintaro, or anyone. And these kids didn't look really conversationalist…

"So…" he decided to start talking, seeing how they were just going to stay silent, and just looking at them and comparing them to Haruka and Takane was a little weird. "Did the cat got your tongue?"

They looked at each other, confused, and then Konoha spoke up, whispering to the girl. "Meow?"

Well, that was cute.

"I'm hungry," Ene finally said, and it sounded like she's been swallowing it back for a few minutes now. Kenjirou mentally begged these kids to not have a monstrous appetite like their father.

"Mhm… well, I think there are some cookies here…"

"Sweets! No!" Konoha suddenly exclaimed, shaking his head. "Mama, we can't. Sweets."

"Don't listen to him, he's babbling."

"Is he trying to say that your mom doesn't want you to eat sweets?" Kenjirou raised an eyebrow at the little girl, who looked nervously to a side.

"We do can," she sneezed, and before he could help it, she wiped her nose with one of the sleeves. "…It's just that we just had lunch, so we already had dessert."

"And then how come you're hungry?"

Ene shrugged, and Kenjirou laughed a little. Something might be telling him that yes, she does have her dad's stomach.

"But mom's scary when I don't do what she says, so…" she pouted a little, grabbing back one of her crayons. "You don't want to deal with angry mom…"

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Kenjirou laughed, since it was obvious that Takane would actually even be scary when angry around her own children. "She won't be a problem, I've been dealing with her for a while now, I know how to handle it."

He totally did not, but he wasn't planning to tell her about anything.

"Huh? But mom is really, really, really scary when she–"

"I know, I know," he interrupted Ene, and the children only watched him gesticulate ridiculously with his hands. "But I've known her for a long while now, I certainly doubt she could do anything to scare me that I hasn't already seen!"

Ene looked at Konoha for a second, who looked expressionless as most of the time, as she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Mom never talked about you."

"Aha– what? She didn't?" that was heartbreaking. How could she? Kenjirou's pretty sure he's someone big on her life! "And what about your dad?"

Haruka had obviously talked about him, right? Right. Or that was his previous thought before Ene shook her head.

"Really? They didn't even mention me?" rude. That's rude. The child just kept shaking her head, twintails following her actions. "What about Ayano, huh? You know her–"

"Auntie Ayano?"

"Yes! Didn't she talk about me? I'm her father!"

"You are?"

He could actually hear his heart breaking into a million of pieces. It wasn't even like they haven't seen him before…! He was like a complete stranger! This is the part where an imaginary man has to sweep the little pieces. Of his heart. Broken.

"Where do you know mom and dad from?"

"I was their teacher in highschool!" he exclaimed and dramatized his pose, feigning tears. "I was the best teacher you two could ever imagine!"

Ene hummed, concentrated in coloring. Kenjirou knew she was doubting about that last part, which, again, was kind of offensive.

For some reason it felt weird, having children around. It'd be much easier if Ayaka was there, she'd know the ways to entertain them right away; but it was different for him. He could easily make laugh his own kids, the ones that aren't kids anymore, but he didn't know anything about these two. Only their names and– and that Ene's hungry probably most of the time. That's all.

It really wasn't necessary for him to make them have fun. They just were there with him because he had to make sure they survive the moments their parents are away. _That's all._

* * *

The old man wasn't as bad as Konoha thought him to be. He just thought about him that way because he was a stranger and strangers are usually scary, because he doesn't know who they are and what they're going to do. It's not like Mama or Papa, they're going to kiss him and smile at him, not like big sis Ene, she makes faces and she laughs with him, not like auntie 'Yano and uncle Shishin, they say warm 'hello' and help him be a grown boy.

He was insisting him into saying something like _Keshiro_ but he couldn't say it, it was too hard! It was making him remember of Mama and Papa insisting him to actually say _Mama_ and _Papa_ , _big sis Ene_ or _auntie 'Yano_ and _uncle Shishin_. Uncle Shishin's name was too complicated, so he just started calling him that and it was okay for everyone, because they all laughed and laughing means they're happy.

Mama and Papa used to repeat lots of words, slowly explaining what they meant, that's why Konoha's so smart. Because he's got smart parents who taught him to also be smart as them! Now, he's even smarter than before, so Mama and Papa don't try to get him to say things as often as before.

Keshiro gave him a plushie earlier, it was a bear! Konoha loves bears so much! Keshiro said something like this bear used to be auntie 'Yano's favourite toy! He still doesn't get how Keshiro knows auntie 'Yano or why he has her toys, but he's happy he's got a new plushie! And Konoha, suddenly, wasn't wondering when Mama and Papa were coming back because he was busy playing with his new bear and his giraffe, and Keshiro does very funny voices and Konoha likes funny things because they make him laugh! Ene also joined their game and she acted as if she was the monster attacking the bear and the giraffe's town, and bear and giraffe are the team of heroes because they're the best of friends! Giraffe's so happy he's got a best friend now, even if Konoha's also his best friend, obviously!

Sometimes he doesn't remember falling asleep, and he only realizes he did because he wakes up. And this seemed to be one of those times. Konoha hugged his bear a little closer, thinking about that the next time he sees auntie 'Yano, he'll bring bear with him, so she can see her old friend again. She'll probably be really happy.

This isn't his room, this is the couch, and it's comfy. But it's not the couch that it's at home, the only person who sleeps in the couch at home is Papa, but that's only sometimes. Konoha thinks he does because he did something Mama didn't like and that's the punishment. He's so jealous of Papa! He gets to share his room with Mama, that's _so_ not fair, he wants to share a room with Mama as well!

Speaking of Mama, where is she? Is she still not back? …Did big sis Ene lied when she said they'd come back? Is Keshiro actually the new person who's going to take care of them…?

He sat up, looking outside the window. It's dark outside, that means it's sleep time! But he isn't sleepy anymore, and he wants Mama right now… Ah, the floor's too far! Where's big sis? She'll save him from this.

"Ene, big sis Ene!" he called her, but she didn't answer, why didn't she answer…?

"Thank you for looking after them…"

"It's okay, they can come anytime, we had lots of fun!"

"We did! Konoha's got a new toy from uncle Kenjirou!"

"Did he? Where is he now?"

That– _That's Mama's voice_!

Konoha jumped up, almost losing balance because his legs were a little wobbly as he was standing on the couch's cushions. He fell against the couch's back, but that's okay because it's all fluffy. He reached his arms out, smiling brightly as he kept hearing his parent's muffled voice coming from somewhere.

"Mama, Mama!"

He was happy to hear Papa as well, but he missed Mama much more! Mama's his favourite person in the world, he can't stand being apart from her! Did she also miss him as much as he missed her?

"Hey, Konoha woke up."

"He probably heard Takane, he's calling her."

"Mama!" ugh, grown ups, stop talking! You're distracting her from coming to see him! "Mama!"

Konoha couldn't understand what they were talking about now, but he thought it was something about auntie 'Yano's baby… or babies, because they were mentioning _Natsu_ and _Aka_ …  
But the questions were washed away once Mama appeared on the door, smiling at him. He also smiled, he was so, so happy. He called her again, and it was so fast how he was already wrapped with her arms, and she was showering him in kisses. They kind of tickled him, so Konoha laughed loudly, seeing Papa over Mama's shoulder. He waved at him, because Papa's taught him to wave and he always smiles when he does it.

The familiar smell of Mama's clothes drive him sleepy again, and that was okay, because it's sleep time when the sky is dark. But then Papa ruffled his hair, and Konoha looked up at him.

"Do you want to go see your cousins, Konoha?"

"Konoha! Konoha!" Ene almost slipped, because she was running with socks on the waxed floor. "Auntie Ayano had twins! They're two!"

He didn't understand what _twins_ are, but auntie 'Yano's had her baby! Mama and Papa are back, and big sis and Keshiro look really excited, so he might as well. He nodded enthusiastically, and Mama's hold tightened around him as she picked him up. He hugged her closer, ready for another adventure! This time Keshiro was coming with them, and he watched Papa grab his plushies to drag them along. Bear and giraffe will also know his new friend, right?

 _Maybe_ he fell asleep during the trip to the hospital. But that's okay, he's a growing boy! And when he wakes up, he'll tell Mama everything he's done during the day.

(Only if he can figure out what words he has to use, of course.)

* * *

 _I honestly don't really like the idea of Haruka and Takane's children's name to be Konoha and Ene since I don't see them naming their kids after themselves, but I've gotten so used to it thanks to the fandom that it just was weird to think of other names...  
Natsu means summer and Aka means red. I like the headcanon of Ayano and Shintaro having twin girls!  
I know Kenjirou is... how do I say this... okay, dead. I know he's dead post-str but this is my fanfic and I do what makes me happy, I am sorry._

 _Happy Halloween! :3_


End file.
